


homecoming

by Stromesquad



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, dyl is a blackhawk, he gets to be with alex, soft, this is what ri deserves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-08-30 02:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16756027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stromesquad/pseuds/Stromesquad
Summary: Alex’s phone rings a little before 10:00 pm.





	homecoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stonesnuggler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stonesnuggler/gifts).



> Ri, you deserve this more than anyone. I'm so happy that Dylan gets to be in your city, on your team. Love you friend.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks to Ki and Lotts for looking this over for me <3

Alex’s phone rings a little before 10:00 pm. It’s Dylan and he’s a little surprised to be getting a call so soon. They facetimed already this week and Dylan had a game this afternoon. He picks up.

“Hey!” he says, smiling to himself. It’s always good when Dylan calls.

“I got traded to Chicago.” Dylan says without preamble. 

Alex wrinkles his eyebrows. Dylan knows how much Alex misses him and this is not a nice joke to play. 

“Come on Stromer. That’s not funny.” 

“No, really. I mean it.” 

“Dyl, come on. That would be crazy and stupid. This isn’t a nice joke to play on your boyfriend. Who misses you. And won’t get to see you again until March so really, don’t tease me like that.”

“Al, I mean it. I’m coming to Chicago. I’m coming to you. I’m coming home.” And Alex can hear the grin in Dylan’s voice, can hear a building excitement. “Check twitter, the news should be out there by now.” 

Alex puts his phone on speaker and pulls up his twitter feed and there it is. 

_BREAKING: The #Blackhawks have acquired forwards Dylan Strome..._

He stops reading after that and nearly drops his phone. 

“Dylan,” he breathes, hushed like a prayer. “It’s real! You’re coming _here_!” 

“It’s you and me, Al. It’s you and me.” 

“Switch to video! I wanna see your stupid face.” 

The video request pops up and Alex accepts immediately. Dylan is smiling so wide it looks like it hurts. Alex knows it’s mirrored on his own face. “Hi! I love you!” he says. “ Hi, I love you and you’re gonna be here soon.” 

Dylan nods. “I’m gonna be there soon. I’ve got so much shit to do.” 

“Yeah, of course. What time does your flight leave? When will you get here?” 

"Morning.” He laughs. “Our flight leaves at 5:45 am so we’ve gotta be at the airport by like 4:30.” 

Alex sighs. “I guess I won’t see you until after practice then.” 

“Yeah, I’ll probably head to the hotel and nap.” 

“You are _not_ going to the hotel. You’re coming here. You know that right?” 

“You won’t even be home!” 

“I’ll let the doorman know you’re coming and leave you a key under the welcome mat.” 

“Don’t do that! I’ll come over right after practice. I don’t wanna wait to see you any more than you wanna wait to see me.” 

“Okay. I love you. God, I miss you so much.”

Dylan’s face goes soft. “Not gonna have to miss me anymore.” 

That makes Alex’s eyes start to water. God, they’re gonna be together. They’re gonna be together all the time and then it hits him. They could _live_ together. They could share a space and wake up to each other every morning. They’ve been together for so long and they’ve done it before with separate beds but now, now they can do this for real. 

Alex wipes his eyes. 

“Hey Dyl?” 

He looks back at his phone from where he’s folding a dress shirt to put in his suitcase. “Yeah?”

“Live with me?” 

Dylan inhales a sharp breath. “Live with you?” 

“Yeah, live with me. Don’t stay in a hotel, don’t get an apartment. Live with me.” 

“Yes. Yes absolutely! Of course I’ll live with you. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Alex wipes tears from his face. “I love you. I can’t wait to be with you.” 

“I can’t wait to be with you.” Dylan’s phone buzzes. “Shit. That's Perls. We've gotta like coordinate.”

“Go. Get packed. I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon.” Dylan’s smile is so bright it knocks the wind out of Alex.

“Love you.” 

“Love you.” 

And with that Dylan cuts off the call. Alex stays sitting on the bed for a couple minutes before he makes himself get up and get ready for bed. This time tomorrow, he and Dylan will be doing that together.

***

Alex walks into the locker room in the morning and sees it hanging there in a stall, a brand new practice jersey, bright red like his own. It reads _Strome_ with a number 17 below it. He’s taking Taylor’s number. Alex huffs out a laugh. Erie forever, Otters for life. Alex gets it. It’s the place where they fell in love, won a championship together. He’s hoping this is the start of them doing it all over again.

They’re heading out of the locker room when Dylan gets in, just enough time for Dylan to shoot him a tired smile and nod. 

Alex heads out onto the ice and waits. When Dylan skates out he comes and kneels right next Alex and knocks their shoulders together. They share a quick smile before facing forward again. They find each other every chance they can on the ice. It’s hard to not to keep touching Dylan, making sure this moment is real and that he’s here and he’s not going to evaporate into just a very good dream. This feels like both the shortest and longest practice Alex has ever had. 

When they’re done, Alex sits down next to Dylan’s stall as he’s trying his shoes. 

“You ready to go?” 

Dylan’s grin when he looks up is blinding, mirroring his own. 

“Take me home,” Dylan says and stands up. He reaches out a hand for Alex to pull him up but Alex thinks it’s mostly just for the contact. 

When they get home, Dylan drops his bags and opens his arms. Alex steps into them and just holds on. 

“Welcome home,” he says, just breathing in the smell of Dylan and soaking up his warmth, the weight of him. 

This is a new beginning and Alex is excited to write this story with Dylan.

**Author's Note:**

> Dyl is free from the god awful coaching and management in Arizona.


End file.
